Discharge gate for concrete transportation systems



Nov. 12', 1935. c. l. LONGENECKER 2,021,108

DISCHARGE GATE FOR CONCRETE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 10, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 12, 1935- c.- l. LONGENECKER DISCHARGE GATE FOR CONCRETE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 10, 1934 27 Z6 5 aw. 5.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 1 2, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISCHARGE GATE FOR CONCRETE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS- Charles I. Longenecker, Wauwatosa, Wis., as-

Application October 10, 1934,Serial No. 747,798

7 Claims.

This invention relates to discharge gates for the conduits of pressure concrete distribution systems, and has for one of its objects to provide a device of this character which will be simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and install, and quite efficient in actual use.

In order that the precise nature of the invention may be better understood, it may be said that in the pressure distribution of plastic concrete mixtures through closed pipe lines it is frequently desirable to discharge the mixture at various points throughout the length of the pipe line, as well as at the extreme end thereof. The

lines are usually composed of steel tubing sections, eachsome ten feet in length, connected together by quick-detachable couplings, by means of which it is possible to readily break the line at any desired joint. However, since the tubing generally ranges from 6" to 8" in diameter, and if filled with'concrete, a ten foot section thereof may weigh up to 400 to 500 pounds, such procedure is quite unwieldy, requiring the services of several men, and leaves much to be desired.

It has been previously proposed 'toprovide a plurality of spaced discharge gates in inclined open chutes through which concrete mixtures move by gravity; and it has also been proposed to provide a plurality of discharge gates or valves 80 in closed pipe lines for handling other materials; therefore, the present invention does not reside broadly in any such arrangement, but rather in a more or less specialized gate construction particularly adapted for closed pressure concrete 85 transportation conduits. In its closed position,

the gate provides a smooth continuation of the internal conduit surface, presenting no obstructions at which the concrete would stow under the relatively high pressures usedfrom 500 to 1,000

pounds per square inch; and when opened, which may be easily accomplished by one man, it may be readily maintained in a position in which it will in no wise interfere with the forms, or with a. distributing chute which may be located to receive the mixture from the discharge opening, as in my prior co-pending application filed May 18, 1934, Ser. No. 726,392, entitled Distributing mechanism for pressure concrete transportation systems. The gate. is furthermore so constructed 50 and arranged that when closed it is substantially leak-proof at the above mentioned pressures, and in actual field use it has been found quite efi'icient for its intended purpose.

With the above and other objects in view, which 55; will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel details of construction, and combinations and arrangements of parts, more fully hereinafter disclosed, and para discharge gate structure in accordance witli'the 1 0 present invention in place thereon, the gate being shown in its closed position;

Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the gate in the open'position it may occupy if no'distribu'ting chute or trough is being used; I5

Figure 3 is a similar View, partly broken away, illustrating the open position in which the gate may be held when a distributing chute is to be used, as in my said co-pending application;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary end elevational view, on a somewhat enlarged scale, of portions of the operating levers and links, as seen from the left of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view through the gate structure shown 26" in Figure 1;- a

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view, taken approximately on the plane indicated by the line 6-3of Figure5, looking down; and

Figures 7 and 8 are transverse sectional views, taken approximately on the planes indicated respectively by the lines 1-! and 8-8 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the saidrdrawings, It] indicates a length of steel tubing or other similar conduit 5 which is provided substantially mid-way between its ends with an elongated aperture H. The said tubing is provided at its ends with the elements I2 and I3 of a quick-detachable coupling here shown as being of the type described and 49::

claimed in the co-pending application of Charles F. Ball, filed May 26, 1933, Ser. No. 673,059, en titled Pipe couplings. These elements are slipped on to the pipe ends and welded or otherwise rigid-1y secured thereto, and beforethis'operation is performed a frame member I 4 constituting one element of the present invention is slipped upon the pipe section and welded thereto asindicated at IS .in cooperative relationship to the opening I I substantially shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5.

The said frame member I4 as clearly shown, is substantially semi-cylindrical in shape and is provided at its ends with the completely circumferential ring members I6 which encircle the pipe [0. The said ring members l6 are spaced rigidly secured thereto.

somewhat further apart than the length ofthe aperture II, so that portions ll of the pipe secarms I9 which have formed in'their extremities elongatedslots 20 for the reception of a pin or shaft 2|, which is mounted in a tubular sleeve 22, welded or otherwise rigidly secured to spaced ears 23, which in. turn are welded to the pipe section ID, as will be clear from Figures 1 and 8.

The frame member M is provided with the upstanding transversely spaced ears 25, in which is mounted a pin or shaft 256, carrying the lower ends of the spaced operating levers 2'! which levers are rigidly connected together at their outer extremities by a transversely extending handle member 28 which is welded or otherwise The said levers 21 may also have an intermediate transverse brace member 29 secured to them, as clearly shown. in Figures 1 and 4. a V

The closure member I8 has a transverse pin or shaft 31! secured to it, which shaft mounts the lower ends of the transversely spaced links 3|,the upper ends of which are pivotally connected by means of the pin or shaft 32 to the operating levers 21, as clearly shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings. 7 e

The longitudinal edges of the closure member l8 are recessed as at 35 to receive a substantially rectangular packing means 36 of rubber or other suitable material which may be retained in place by longitudinal metal strips 31 embedded within the member 36 in the course of manufacture and which 7 strips have secured to them threaded studs 38 adapted to pass through suit able apertures 39 in the member I 8 and receive nuts 40 all as is clearly shown inFigure '7. The

longitudinal members ofthe packing means 36 6 and '7, which will eifectively prevent leakage of the more liquid portions of the concrete mixture,

' even under the relatively high pressures which are commonly employed in systems of this. type.

The closed position of the gate structure is illustrated in Figures 1, 5, 6 and 7, wherein the operating levers 2'! are substantially vertical with structions which might interfere with the fio-wof the concrete mixture to such an extent as to 'readily understood from Figure 3.

2,021,108 7 V V produce stowing thereof with its attendant dif- When it is desired to discharge concrete through the opening I l, the handle 28 is grasped and. the operating levers 21 swung in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, to the position shown in Figure 2. This movement through the linkage 3| will swing the closure member l8- about the pivot pin 2| to a substantially vertical position, as shown in said Figure 2, whereby the concrete mixture flowing through the tube I0 may be discharged by the action of gravity through the aperture l l. V

The position shown in Figure 2 is that which may be assumed by the parts if a distributing 15' chute is not being employed. However, if such a chute is being used in the manner disclosed in my said prior application No.726,392,'the.present gate structure may be caused to occupy the positions illustrated in Figure 3. That is to say from the 20 position shown in Figure 2 the operating levers 21 may be moved upwardly somewhat, such movement through links 3 l drawing the closure member l8 to a position closely adjacent the conduit It], so that the said closure member will not inter- 25 fere with the distributing chute 50, as will be The parts may be retained in this position by means of a suitable prop member 5| which is pivotally mounted upon the transverse pin 32 and which 23,01

may be swung from an inoperative position wherein it is in engagement with the transverse brace member 29, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4,

' to an operative position, as shown in Figure 3;

wherein its lower notched end engages with the 7 trated and described, it is obvious that those 40..

skilled in the artmay vary the precise details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore it is not Wished to, be limitedto the above disclosure except as maybe required by 45.

the claims.

What is claimed is: 1. In a discharge gate structure for'the closed conduits of pressure concrete distribution systems, a frame member arranged to be secured to and reinforce said conduit at an opening therein; a gate member arranged to be moved to and from a co-operative position with said frame member, wherein it closes said opening and provides a smooth continuation of said conduit;

means providing a pressure tight joint. around said opening between said members when in 00- operating position; and means for moving said gate member.

2. In a discharge gate structure for the closed conduit-s of pressure concrete distributionsystems, a frame member arranged to be secured to' said conduit at'an opening therein and to span. the same; a pivoted gate member arranged to be 7 swung to and from a co-operative position with said frame member, wherein it closes said opening and provides a smooth continuation of said conduit; sealing means carried by said gate member, arranged to engage with said frame member and with portions of said conduit when the members are in co-operative relation, to provide a pressure tight joint completely surrounding said opening; and means for swinging said gate member;

3. In a dischargegate structure for the closedtfi conduits of pressure concrete distribution systems, a substantially semi-cylindrical frame member having circumferential end portions, arranged to be secured tothe conduit at an opening therein, with portions of said conduit adjacent the opening projecting inwardly beyond said circumferential end portions to constitute sealing seats; a substantially semi-cylindrical gate member arranged to be moved to and from a cooperative position with said frame member between the said circumferential end portions thereof, said gate member in such position pro:- viding a smooth continuation of said conduit; sealing means carried by said gate member, having portions arranged to engage the longitudinal edge portions of said frame member, and curved end portions arranged to engage with said sealing seat portions of said conduit, whereby there is provided a pressure tight joint completely surrounding said opening; and means for moving said gate member to and from said closing position, and positively maintaining it therein.

4. In discharge gate structure for the pressure conduit of a plastic concrete transportation system, said conduit having a discharge opening, a pivoted gate member for closing said opening; an operating lever pivoted on said conduit; links pivotally connected to said gate member and to said lever, whereby upon movement of the latter said gate member may be moved from its closing position to an open position adjacent said conduit in which it will not interfere with concrete receiving means positioned below said opening; and means comprising a prop member carried by said operating lever and engageable with said conduit, for retaining said gate in said open position.

5. In discharge gate structure for the pressure conduit of a plastic concrete transportation system, said conduit having a discharge opening, a pivoted gate member for closing said opening; a pivoted operating lever; and links connected to said lever and gate member, said lever and links being arranged through movement of said lever in one direction to a predetermined limit to swing said gate to an open position substantially perpendicular to the axis of said conduit, and upon partial reverse movement of said lever to con- -tinue said opening movement of the gate member until the latter occupies a position approximately parallel to said conduit and removed from 5 said opening.

6. In discharge gate structure for the pressure conduit of a plastic concrete transportation system, said conduit having a discharge opening, a pivoted gate member for closing said opening; a pivoted operating lever; links connected to said lever and gate member, said lever and links being arranged through movement of said lever in onedirection to a. predetermined limit to swing said gate to an open position substantially perpendicular to the axis of said conduit, and upon partial reverse movement of said lever to continue said opening movement of the gate' member until the latter occupies a position approximately parallel to said conduit and removed from said opening; and means for positively retaining said gate in said approximately parallel position.

7 In discharge gate structure for the pressure conduit of a plastic concrete transportation system, said conduit having a discharge opening, a pivoted gate member for closing said opening; an operating lever pivoted on said conduit, movable from a position substantially perpendicular to said conduit, to a position parallel to and engaging with said conduit; links connected to said lever and gate member, said lever and links being arranged through movement of the lever from said perpendicular to said parallel position to swing said gate member to an open position substantially perpendicular to said conduit and CHARLES I. LONGENECKER. 

